It Takes Tears to Smile
by waterwingeddove
Summary: After the fight with Zaheer, Asami just wants to see Korra smile again, and her luck has run out entirely. [Korrasami - set in the two week gap between the fight and Jinora's ceremony.]


If there was one thing that could put Asami Sato in a frantic state, it was Korra, without a doubt.

Ever since the Avatar's bout with Zaheer, she hasn't been the same, and it worried Asami to no end. Will Korra ever make a full recovery? Will she ever regain that bravado she lost? Will that goofy, signature side-grin of hers ever return? Every question crossed Asami's mind at least once a day, and she couldn't help it. She couldn't help how concerned she was. Seeing Korra so _broken…_ It shattered Asami's heart into pieces. Everything she did to help seemed to have no effect on the wounded Avatar at all, but even then, Asami showed no intent on stopping. The least she would settle for would be just one smile, and she was determined in at least receiving that much, even if it killed her. And frankly...it almost did. More than once.

* * *

"Ikki- come on. It's for Korra!" Asami pleaded, curling her fingers into her palms out of her sheer desperation.

The persistent airbender was tuning out Asami, hands over her ears, "La-la-la-la-la! I can't hear you! I'm busy!"

"Did I forget to mention the fact that _it's for Korra?_"

Ikki blinked a few times, slowly removing her hands from her ears, "...Korra? Why didn't you just say so?!"

The nonbender pinched the bridge of her nose as she hung her head, "I did...numerous times, even. Were you not listening?"

"I told you I couldn't hear you! I thought you were trying to get me to do all this stupid training and stuff!"

"I'm not- Why would-" Letting her shoulders fall, Asami just sighed, "Do you think you could help or not?"

"Of course!" The airbender leaped out of her seat with a gust of air with her usual cheery demeanor, "It's Korra!"

The spiral of air conveniently managed to blow Asami's hair all over her face, and she exhaled a sharp breath fixing the stray strands, "..Let's just get Korra."

"Yay!" Ikki dashed off in an excited sprint, leaving the nonbender behind for a few passing moments.

_Oh, how I hope this actually works…_

* * *

Asami rolled Korra's wheelchair out to the training area of the island, only to be met by a cynical remark from the Avatar upon arrival, "Are you trying to show me how great everyone's doing while I'm trapped in this blasted wheelchair?" She said in a bitter tone once observing how Ikki and Asami were rolling her towards the rotating gates.

The raven-haired girl's expression dropped at the harsh words, feeling as if her attempt was a failure before it even had a chance to begin, "Far from it, actually." said Asami as she walked around the parked wheelchair to face Korra. One of Korra's eyebrows was raised, but her dulled, blue eyes were still narrowed. "I'm gonna show you how bad I suck!" The nonbender's eyes closed as she forced a smile for the other; needless to say, Korra was a bit confused.

Ikki summoned a large blast of wind to make the gates spin, and Asami snuck a look back at Korra before entering the rapidly-spinning gates, "Trust me on this one, okay?" With a wink, the engineer slipped into the gates through a small opening with the utmost grace.

Asami had managed to last a few couple of seconds in the rotating gates thanks to her lithe body and movements, and because of it, she began to think she had sorely underestimated her abilities and screwed up her plans. However, if one would call it fortune, her foot hooked on to the other by mistake, upsetting her rhythm and causing the gates to come crashing into her. In between the thoughts of numerous profanities and of the pain coursing through her body, Asami couldn't help but feel relief that she was succeeding in her plan of putting on a rather comical show for the Avatar. One after another, she was thrashed around by the relic gates, until she was sent back to where she started and abruptly pushed out of the training area by one final crash, causing her to land right in front of Korra's wheelchair. Groaning slightly as she tried to stop her entire world from spinning, she raised her head to glance at Korra with a slight smile, only to see one of the most blank expressions she had ever seen before.

_Great...I failed._

Saddened by the fact her attempts at fully embarrassing herself to amuse Korra didn't work in the slightest, Asami rose to her feet, brushing herself off as she grasped the handles of Korra's wheelchair, "Let's get you back inside…"

* * *

A few days and a ton of ice-packs later, Asami was ready to try again to force a smile out of Korra, and this time she opted for a less dangerous option: bring back some of Korra's favorite foods from Narook's for dinner. She left for the small noodlery with plenty of time left before dinner, and if she did everything at a fair pace, she could even have it back a few minutes before dinner even started.

Asami was calmly waiting for her order at Narook's at one of the tables, resting her chin in her hands with a bored expression. Hearing the bell jingle as the door opened, her gaze lazily drifted towards the door before widening upon recognizing the duo who walked in.

Viper and Ping of the Triple Threat Triad had entered the noodlery with water and fire at the ready, so Asami hastily slid out of the booth she was in and blocked the bending duo off from the shop owner by standing directly in front of them.

"Oh-ho, look who it is! Mistress Sato, what are you doing in such a run-down establishment? It's definitely not your aesthetic." Viper said with a cocky tone, which was only met with a baleful glance from the nonbender.

"I should be asking you the same thing. Leave, _now._" Her emerald gaze narrowed at the two benders as her words were spoken with a growl.

"Us, leave? Aw, c'mon, how come? We're just here to have a little chat with Narook here, that's all! Nothing nefarious!" Ping chimed in with a sly grin forming across his scarred features.

Asami lifted her hands in front of her face and furled her fingers into fists, "I don't believe you."

"Perceptive, I see.." With a flick of his wrist, Viper sent water coursing the nonbender's way, and then froze it once it made contact with her hands to encase them in ice. "But you're powerless against us. You can't even use your ha-"

Before the waterbender could even finish his statement, Asami had spun around to gather momentum then smashed her frozen hands against his head, effectively both freeing herself and knocking him out. Quickly after, she kicked the unconscious mobster into his firebending companion, sending them both into the wall and subduing then. Asami let out an irritated huff and turned towards Narook, procuring her order and leaving money on the counter before departing with a few parting words, "Get Chief Beifong here to pick up these two idiots, and fast!"

* * *

It was already dark by the time Asami had reached Air Temple Island, and she couldn't help but let out a defeated sigh when walking into the dining hall. Korra was nowhere to be seen, so Asami headed towards the Avatar's room in the dormitories to see if she would be up for eating the food she'd gotten for her.

"Korra?" She asked, slowly sliding the door open.

The Avatar turned her head towards the other with her usual blank expression, but with an eyebrow raised.

"Are you hungry? I brought some food from Narook's if you are."

Korra turned the other way in the bed, facing away from Asami, "I already ate."

Asami's expression saddened and her shoulders fell, voice entirely defeated and morose, "Alright. I'll see you some other time, then." Then, without even a goodbye from the other, she slipped out of the room quietly and made her way down the hall.

Her gaze dropped to the container in her hands, and it instantly narrowed with irritation. _I don't even like Narook's, _she thought, throwing the food into the nearest disposal bin with a growl.

* * *

Korra had wanted some time away from Air Temple Island, and Asami was the one who suggested taking the recovering girl to the Sato Estate for the day. Sharing a quiet ride there, Asami wheeled Korra into the mansion when they arrived, but was interrupted by her butler upon walking inside Asami's chambers.

"Ms. Sato, we have received a letter from a rather...perplexing sender." Pulling the letter from out his jacket, he handed it to the industrialist.

Asami removed the letter from its envelope, eyes glancing over its contents briefly without reading it entirely. She recognized the handwriting and let out a gasp, moving her hand to cover her agape mouth.

"Ms. Sato?" The butler asked with concern, taking a step closer, "Is everything alright?"

It took a few moments for Asami to respond, but when she did, it was far from anything polite, "Get out. _Now._" Her words, while harsh, were spoken with a shaking voice.

Hastily obliging, Asami and Korra were then left alone within her chambers. Korra, who remained silent throughout the whole thing, suddenly showed a flash of concern on her face, it being the closest thing to emotion she's had since her fight with Zaheer, "...Asami?"

Asami's hand covered her face, but her quiet sobs and quivering shoulders was evidence enough for Korra to lean forward slightly, placing a hand on the nonbender's shoulder, "Asami?" She asked, a bit more louder and firm.

"...I really hate my father…" Was all she managed to speak, but Korra insisted on knowing more.

"What's wrong? What happened?"

"The letter...it's his handwriting.."

"Hey, hey.. Don't let it bother you."

"How? How am I supposed to ignore it? Eight months after everything, and already, he's begging for my forgiveness? How can I forgive him for what he's done?" Her words were slurred from the sobs intertwined with them.

"I-I don't know, but don't let him get to you. You're strong. You'll figure something out." Korra gave Asami's shoulder a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

Asami shook her head, letting out a sigh, "I don't even know where to start…"

"You don't have to start right away. Give it time, and you'll find an answer."

"You really think so?" Lifting her head from her hands, she sent a weak glance towards Korra while wiping the tears from her face.

"I know so. You're the smartest person I know." Korra's lips curled slightly, forming a small - but still visible - smile.

Asami's face lit up upon seeing the grin on the other's expression, and she quickly leaned forwards to wrap her arms around the Avatar, "You finally smiled!"

Korra's arms gently wrapped around Asami's waist, and her head rested against the other's, "It's the least I can do, Asami, after everything you've done."

"Can you just...promise me one thing?" The industrialist's voice rung with a hopeful tone as she hugged the Avatar tighter.

"What?"

"Smile a little more often from now on?"

Moving her hands to Asami's shoulders, Korra gently guided the nonbender out of the hug so that she'd see the grin forming on her face, "Deal."

_I can't even begin to say how much I missed that smile. _


End file.
